Quick story for you… I’ve been contributing posts to Concert Confessions for something like four years now. Throughout this entire period, our founding father Reverend Justito had continuously told me that I need to listen to this band called Blitzen Trapper. He told me once… he told me twice… hell, he even told me thrice. And I heard him, but I didn’t listen to him. There is no good reason to explain why I never did give this Blitzen Trapper a fair shake… The Rev and I have an incredibly similar taste in a good chunk of our favorite music. Then came the Wakarusa 2012 lineup announcement sometime around January of 2012, and there they were making their Wakarusa debut. The time was upon us… minutes after combing the lineup, to YouTube I went to type in those two words that had been staring me in the face for the last few years. I started with a few songs from 2008’s Furr… SON OF A BITCH I REALLY LIKE THIS BAND! Guitarist/Singer/Songwriter Eric Earley’s lyrics immediately sounded like something that could have been released by Tom Petty or Ray LaMontagne or maybe even Bob Dylan. The music gave me a strong Wilco vibe, but with more twang and not so much jam. Why had I not taken Papa Concert Confessions advice a hell of a lot earlier?! (Note: See all of our previous Blitzen Trapper coverage right here)

Wakarusa come, and Wakarusa go… and I got the chance to see Blitzen Trapper for the first time. That performance was absolutely great in my eyes, but we will come back to that in a bit. Let’s talk about the Portland, Oregon quintets recent stop in St. Louis at the Old Rock House in support of their soon to be released seventh album called, VII where they worked a smaller yet respectable crowd into a frenzy for about 90 minutes with their blend of Oregonian Alt-Country… Or as Earley called it in a recent interview , “Rocky Mountain Whoop Ass.” The set kicked off with the opening track to Furr, “Sleepytime in the Western World” after informing the crowd that they were “here to play rock music… and sensitive music.” Our first new song of the night titled “Thirsty Man” followed, which was one of seven songs from new album featured in the set. Stand outs tracks were “Heart Attack”, “Feel the Chill”, and “Shine On” which is “just straight gospel” and my pick for the first single. One noticeable trait with the new songs was a more upbeat sound, almost a bit of a funk, but still nothing too far off the path of the typical Blitzen Trapper alt-country/rock/Americana/whatever genre you want to call it. You can grab that new album, VII, on September 30th or just pre-order it here (they are also selling it on tour right now)

“This one is a country song” said Earley before “Taking It Easy Too Long” from 2011’s American Goldwing. Each song drew a smattering of applause from the crowd that packed in mostly on the main floor. After each break the band would thank the crowd and mentioned that St. Louis is always one of their loudest cities. Earley addressed the crowd prior to “God and Suicide” and noted that “your all going to look back and think how polite this band was”. At one point the setlist featured a back to back to back knockout trio of fan favorites “Black River Killer”, “Love the Way You Walk Away” and finally the title track to their pivotal 2008 release Furr, which Earley called a “pretty song.” The crowd erupted yet again as they continued to play another of the seven tracks from Furr that would appear tonight, “Lady on the Water.”

The set closed out with two more new songs and finally “Fire & Fast Bullets” before the band graciously thanked the crowd for their raucous applause and support. After leaving the stage, front man Eric Earley returned to the stage and performed a few acoustic songs, both songs that really showcase Earley’s songwriting, “The Man Who Would Speak True” and “Stranger in a Strange Land” which features some of my favorite lyrics from any Blitzen Trapper song. The rest of the band came back out to join him on stage for one final song, “Evening Star” from 2010’s Destroyer of the Void. After the set you could find all five of the guys scattered around the venue chatting with fans, taking photos and signing autographs… which brings me back to the Wakarusa set we briefly touched on earlier. I was talking with guitarist Erik Menteer and drummer Brian Adrian Koch after the set for a minute and mentioned seeing them at Wakarusa for the first time and told them how much I enjoyed the set and had looked forward to a non festival show. Both of them were very impressed to hear that, because apparently that was what they referred to as one of their worst shows and even went on to say something about how the “hippies fucking hated us so much.” I definitely don’t remember getting that vibe from their set, but they were one of my highlights going into and coming out of the festival that year… to each his own I guess, but you may be tough to find someone who was in attendance at the Old Rock House last Wednesday that would be able to say they didn’t enjoy the performance put on by the boys of Blitzen Trapper. Check out tour dates below and go see these guys.

Blitzen Trapper is awesome. If you haven’t been to one of their shows, what are you waiting for? On Sunday night the band ripped up The Kenworthy in Moscow, Idaho with their badass folk/alt country/indie rock jams that should make music lovers take note of this band’s greatness.

Earlier in the afternoon, I “hosted” the inaugural Concert Confessions Backyard Horseshoe Championship. I tweeted Blitzen Trapper an invite to join us in a game before the show. Unfortunately they couldn’t make it, but we still had a great afternoon of grilling, drinks, and pitching horseshoes. After a grueling semi-final match, I was bested in a sudden death championship round by the one and only, thenaturalstoner.

We headed over to the venue a little after 8 p.m., and had plenty of time to buy drinks and find good seats before the start of the show.

Seattle songstress, Sera Cahoone, took the stage around 8:15 p.m. and pulled the audience in with her melodic, bluegrass-influenced style. Sub-Pop records describes her as “one of the strongest songwriters in Seattle’s ever-vibrant Americana scene.” If you’re a fan of the genre, I would recommend giving her a listen.

Blitzen Trapper took the stage around 9:15 p.m. They opened with Fletcher, from their 2011 album American Goldwing. This is just one of many great songs on that album. Their music reminds me of those great American classic rock/folk songs of the 70’s and earlier 80’s by artists like John Fogerty, Steve Miller, and John Denver—a music style that takes me back to my childhood, when my family would travel throughout south east Washington, northern Idaho, and western Montana to camp and fish.

At the request of frontman Eric Earley, people stood up from their seats and gathered near the front of the stage. The crowd, with their cups of Pabst Blue Ribbon in-hand, danced and sang along to favorites such as Love the Way You Walk Away, Furr, and God and Suicide.

We were treated to a few new songs, such as Heart Attack (video below). If the new songs reflect what the rest of the band’s album will sound like, it is going to be a great follow-up to American Goldwing.

From start to finish, this was an outstanding show. The band sounded great, the crowd was energized, and the intimate venue helped make the experience feel more personal. If Blitzen Trapper is headed your way, gather up your friends, spend the afternoon barbecuing and playing a few games of horseshoes, and then go check them out.

Wakarusa was back in full force for the 9th straight year bringing music and nature together in Northwest Arkansas. This was their 4th straight year at Mulberry Mountain and for the 4th straight year the crowd seemed to get even bigger… the camping has been expanded to include three different offsite auxiliary campgrounds due to demand. I made the trek down to the Wakarusa Festival for the 5th straight year and made it my mission to see some new music, even if it meant missing some of my favorites such as Split Lip Rayfield, Mountain Sprout (mostly), Railroad Earth and the March Fourth Marching Band (I did manage to sneak in all 3 Dirtfoot shows though) The weather was absolutely amazing for the most part, but we experienced a few small storms late Saturday and early Sunday causing some problems with the schedule (and causing me to miss the Infamous Stringdusters!) and stages being shut down for a short time. I took lots of pictures and quite a bit of video to bring back to the real world, and it has taken me over a month to sort through all of it and recollect some parts of the weekend, but here you have it… my 2012 Wakarusa Recap!

Start making your plans now for the 10th installment of Waka next June…. there has to be some big things in store for Waka10

THURSDAY

New Monsoon –Revival Tent

This was not a set we intended on watching but decided to check out early Thursday afternoon. Due to a family emergency, the regular guitarist of veteran jam rock group New Monsoon, Jeff Miller, was unable to make the show but in the spirit of music festivals, Dan Lebowitz from ALO stepped in to fill the void. No time was wasted getting to our first Grateful Dead cover of the weekend in “Eyes of the World”, definitely a highlight. We also had the first of many Doc Watson tributes of the weekend, in honor of the recently decreased bluegrass legend, in the form of the traditional “Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor.” Their set also featured covers of Tom Waits and Neil Young songs. I was a big fan of New Monsoon and look forward to more opportunities to see them in the future.

Bungalouski – Kum & Go Outpost Stage

Another pleasant surprise, we stopped by the Outpost to kill a few minutes while waiting for The Big Wu to begin. We were quite happy with this decision, as Norman, Oklahoma prog-rock youngsters Bungalouski rocked the smaller of the tent covered stages. Bungalouski got real funky during their rendition of Stevie Wonder’s “Very Superstitious.”

The Big Wu – Main Stage

Minnesota jam band The Big Wu played a short but sweet set on the Main Stage. The iconic band, founded in 1992, has only played a handful of shows since 2006, but are now touring with the original lineup. This was my first Wu experience, and I was instantly a fan. They, like many other acts throughout the weekend, played a song in honor of the recently deceased bluegrass legend Doc Watson, who had passed away days prior to Wakarusa. Want to watch it?

ALO – Main Stage

The first of my Must See acts of the weekend, and one of the highlights of the 2010 Wakarusa, Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) had their first Waka Main Stage show and it was much deserved. The California funk rockers were a great way to get your feet going in the late afternoon with favorites such as “Girl I Wanna Lay You Down.” They even featured a cameo by Jackie Greene on the harmonica during “Lady Loop.”

Bob Weir – Chris Robinson – Jackie Greene Acoustic Trio – Main Stage

Thursday nights headliner featured the fantastic guitar trio of Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Chris Robinson from the Black Crowes and singer/songwriter Jackie Greene. Together the three played a 90 minute set featuring songs from all over the place, including Dead tunes “Uncle Johns Band”, “Loser” (below) and “New Speedway Boogie”. A highlight of the set was their rendition of “Dear Prudence” led by Weir.

Perpetual Groove – Revival Tent

Perpetual Groove late night shows are always a thing of beauty, and they certainly didn’t disappoint the packed Revival Tent crowd at yet another Wakarusa. This as the first of two sets for P-Groove and even though we were in route to a Dirtfoot show we found our way by the Revival Tent for a few songs including a favorite of mine “Three Weeks.” Their second set conflicted with The Avett Brothers, so I was sadly unable to attend. See you soon P Groove!

Dirtfoot – Kum & Go Outpost Stage

The only gypsy, punk, country, grumble boogie band in the land, took the stage just after midnight for their first of three shows throughout the weekend. As Waka regulars, Dirtfoot always brings a crowd and throws a party… this set was no exception. The Dirtfoot boys had 90 minutes to either keep your night going into the Sunrise sets or send your ass back to your camp to call it a night as they wrapped up just after 2AM. Dirtfoot also featured the hoop skills of a young fan named Mya throughout the weekend, and she quickly became a crowd favorite displaying her craft like a veteran hooper.

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FRIDAY

Mountain Sprout – Revival TentArkansas’ natives Mountain Sprout kicked off my Friday with their brand of hillbilly bluegrass. The boys of Mountain Sprout have quite a following around these parts and it’s quite obvious why with their witty lyrics and rockabilly bluegrass. We only stopped by for a few songs but were able to catch “Turkey Buzzard” and “Dry County.”

Monophonics – Outpost Stage

As we left Mountain Sprout we were on our way to see Snarky Puppy play in the Outpost Tent. Our first schedule change of the weekend led us to the San Francisco based soul funksters, the Monophonics. The six piece consisting of guitar, bass, drum, horns and keyboards channel the best of the 60’s and 70’s era pioneers such as George Clinton, Sly Stone and Shuggie Otis. This set was certainly in my top 5 for the weekend. I expect big things from the Monophonics, who just released their newest album “In Your Brain.”

Royal Family Ball feat Soulive & Lettuce – Main Stage

The Royal Family Ball is composed of two different bands that each had an hour set and are both on Royal Family Records. First up was NY based jazz/funk trio Soulive (pictured). Two members of Soulive just so happen to be in Lettuce, the 2nd half of the Royal Family Ball, who have been funking up the circuit since the early 90s. This was a great set, and another unexpected surprise. I will definitely be seeing another Royal Family Ball if given the chance.

The Devil Makes Three – Revival Tent

I ducked away from the Royal Family Ball for a few moments to check out The Devil Makes Three, a band suggested to me by quite a few folks prior to the festival. I ended up staying for the last half of their set, and missing most of Lettuce. The three piece have elements of rockabilly, ragtime and Americana folk with a punk and blues background. I wasn’t familiar with any of their songs, but really enjoyed their set. Lots of songs about booze will get you far with a Friday afternoon music festival crowd.

Blitzen Trapper – Revival Tent

Blitzen Trapper has recently become one of my favorite new bands. This was my first opportunity to see them, and it certainly helped solidify their spot on that list. The alt-country rockers had an afternoon 90 minute set that gave way to nearly 20 songs. Highlights included “Black Snake River” and a cover of Jimi Hendrix “Hey Joe.” This is another of the Top 5 shows of the weekend and I have to give props to our founding father Reverend Justito for persistantly reminding me that I was missing something good with this band… it finally stuck.

The Avett Brothers – Main Stage

Another Top 5 set of the weekend, The Avett Brothers, featuring Scott and Seth Avett as well as Joe Kwon and Bob Crawford headlined the Main Stage on Friday night. Their set clocked in at just over 2 hours and featured “I Wonder How The Old Folks Are At Home”, a tribute to Doc Watson as well as many of the Avett’s fan favorites including “Colorshow”, “Shame”, “January Wedding”, “Kick Drum Heart” and “I Killed Sally’s Lover.”

Umphrey’s McGee – Revival Tent

We had no hope of getting anywhere near the front for the late night Revival Tent dance party featuring Chicago prog-rockers Umphrey’s McGee. We have expressed our love for Umphrey’s on Concert Confessions on multiple occasions. The Revival Tent was packed to the brim and then some while Umphrey’s rocked through their set that clocked in just under two hours. Highlights included a funkified “In The Kitchen”, and a cover of McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” into “Miss Tinkles Overture” to end the set around 2AM. For some it was off to Girl Talk, while others waited around for Ghostland Observatory.

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SATURDAY

Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – Backwoods Stage

Former Drive By Trucker guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell teamed up with his backing band the 400 Unit for what may have been the hottest show of the weekend. It was mid afternoon Saturday and the Backwoods Stage doesn’t offer much in the way of shade that time of day so a medium sized crowd filed in as strong odor of sunscreen filled the air. I had the chance to briefly see Isbell open for Ryan Adams this past January, but this was my first time seeing him with his band. Their set lasted just over and hour and featured songs from Isbell’s solo albums as well as a ridiculously good cover of “Never Gonna Change”, a song Isbell wrote and performed with the Drive By Truckers that appeared on The Dirty South. He brought out the Secret Sisters for the last few songs including “Codeine” and “Alabama Pines.” This one didn’t sneak in the Top 5, but its certainly in the Top 10.

Gary Clark Jr – Revival Tent

This was my #1 show that I had to see going into the weekend, and it certainly lived up to the hype. Gary Clark Jr. is an absolutely amazing blues and rock guitarist and the dude is on his way to some major success. You need to see this guy while you have a chance to see him playing smaller clubs, because it won’t last. Clark ripped his way through a 90 minute set under the Revival Tent to a large crowd and this set hit on the blues rock you expected, and some soulful r&b grooves laid out by Gary Clark Jr. “Bright Lights” was definitely a highlight, as most would expect it clocked in around 10 minutes.

Travelin’ McCourys feat. Keller Williams – Outpost Stage

This was another set that I was not going to miss, and another set that certainly delivered as expected. Saturday brought the all day bluegrass schedule on the Outpost Stage, and with that came the Travelin’ McCourys featuring Keller Williams. Together they just released Pick, a bluegrass album featuring original tunes and cover songs by both the McCoury’s and Keller, and they had 90 minutes to showcase that album and other surprises. Covers included “Hot Stuff” by Donna Summers, “Pepper” by the Butthole Surfers, “Tennessee Stud”, dedicated to Doc Watson, and even Jessie J’s “Price Tag” a song that surprisingly sounds like it was written to be performed by a hippie like Keller. After about an hour Keller said it was time to get this thing going and invited out Drew Emmitt and Billy Nershi for a mini bluegrass ball. We even had a brief cameo by the final bluegrass pioneer to grace the world in Del McCoury during “Bumper Sticker.” This was probably my favorite set of the weekend, and you should probably pick up their new album.

There was music on Sunday, as well as a few shows that I wasn’t able to cover for various reasons (camera battery, scheduling conflicts, lack of energy, fear of taking the camera out to late nights, too fucking hot, etc.) These included Umphrey’s McGee and Primus back to back on the Main Stage Saturday night, followed by your choice of late night SOJA, Big Gigantic or SOJA. Other late nights included Papadosio, MiMOSA, Girl Talk, Quixotic, and The Floozies. There was an entire day of reggae on Sunday at the Revival Tent featuring Iration, Slightly Stoopid and Matisyahu and others. Sunday also led to some power issues on the Backwoods Stage which gave way to intimate unplugged sets in front of the stage by Dumptruck Butterlips and Emmitt-Nershi Band.

Blitzen Trapper & The Head and the Heart Team Up For Fall 2012 US Tour

I think we all officially love Blitzen Trapper. It started with Rev who saw them at a poorly attended festival at Universal Studios back in 1998 (he has since seen the band at the Hollywood Bowl and last year in Hollywood). Then he started to get fellow Concert Confession family members hooked. The Northwest chapter took in their performance this past Memorial Day weekend at Sasquatchand he got a text from Bradley as the band played late night at Wakarusa that simply read Thanks For the heads up…Lovin these guys.

The Head and the Heart is a band we are slowly starting to love. Sure Reverend Justito hated the pants Charity Rose wore during the first weekend of Coachella, but he was wasted enough to dig the music. The Sasquatch crewsaw them as well but we couldn’t tell you if they enjoyed them because well we still have not seen a review (but hey here is a photo gallery).

So why are we sharing all of this with you? We are sharing it because the two acts are hitting the road together this fall. Here is where you can catch them. Judging by the gaps between dates don’t be shocked if more dates pop up in the not so distant future.

You could use a ton of clichés to describe our pal Phishbeard. Let’s just say homeboy marches to the beat of his own drum. A nomad, a free spirit, someone who shoots first and asks questions later. Homeboy spent Memorial Day weekend at the Gorge enjoying the 2012 Sasquatch Music Festival. He took no less than 1200 photos. Here are the best ones. We hope you enjoy.

This week marks the 9th installment of the Wakarusa Music Festival in Ozark, Arkansas…. well, the 4th installment in Arkansas, but the 9th Wakarusa overall. This will also mark my fifth straight visit to Waka, and along the way I have learned many valuable things. One of the most important things I have realized is that your schedule very well may not be followed as you planned, and you will certainly find yourself at stages for bands you didn’t plan to catch. This is why I find it necessary to make a list of 10 bands that I will see, no matter what. This time around, I had a problem eliminating one more artist, so we are going to stick with the Top 11.

Here are my 11 Must See Artists at the 2012 Wakarusa Festival… make sure to check back in a few weeks for our full recap!

11. ALO / Thurs 4:30pm – 6:00pmAnimal Liberation Orchestra makes their triumphant return to Mulberry Mountain, where they last visited for Wakarusa 2010. I was able to catch a few minutes of that set, and it was quite enjoyable. I ended up purchasing the DVD of that show and I think its been watched approximately 100 times since then. Their style of mellow California jam music will be a perfect way to kick off the first ‘official’ night on the Mountain! Too bad I will have to miss The Floozies first set of the weekend…. but wait!

10. The Floozies / Sun 12:30am – 2:00am
Lawrence, KS two-piece consisting of brothers Matt Hill, guitar/producer, and drummer Mark Hill. The Floozies do the funky electronic party rock, and they do it quite well. They are on their way up the ladder and their set to finish out the entire festival on Sunday night (technically Monday morning) is going to be a great way to catapult them in that direction. If you can’t make it to the late night show, they also play Thursday afternoon at 4:30pm

9. Umphrey’s McGee / Fri 12:15am – 2:00amUmphrey’s McGee is one of those bands that no matter how often you’ve seen them, you still can’t afford to miss a show because who knows what they will be breaking out on that particular evening. I made the mistake of missing their legendary Wakarusa 2010 late night that featured their mash-up Nine Inch Nails and The Beatles titled “Come Closer” and I won’t take that chance again. I will, however, be missing part of their Main Stage set on Saturday due to our 8th must-see act….

8. The Del McCoury Band / Sat 8:00pm – 9:30pm
You know what is awesome? By the end of the year I will have seen the legendary Del McCoury three times! You know what’s even better? The fact that this set not only falls during the bluegrass extravaganza on Saturday in the Outpost Tent, but it also immediately follows the Travelin’ McCourys, who just so happen to be Del’s sons and Del’s backing band. I expect things to get really wacky during the 12 hour bluegrass block on Saturday, and the legendary Del McCoury will certainly have a thing or two to say about it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH1f02hFSqU&feature=related

7. Perpetual Groove / Thurs 10:30pm – 12:00am
I knew nothing about Perpetual Groove going into the 2009 Wakarusa, and they are now one of those bands that I will never forget. I stumbled into their late night set that year in the Revival Tent with a friend and the two of us stood there for the next hour without moving or acknowledging anything around us, sucked in by the sweet, sweet sounds coming from this Georgia four piece. Oh yeah, last year some jerk off dove head first through the drum kit and messed up the end of their late night set, so there is always a chance of that happening again. Check out the album ‘Sweet Oblivious Antidote’ if you aren’t familiar with P-Groove

6. Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit / Sat 2:40pm – 3:50pm
Former Drive-By Trucker guitarist, songwriter and vocalist Jason Isbell hits Wakarusa with his band for an afternoon set on Saturday at the Backwoods Stage. Isbell has released three solo albums since his departure from the Truckers. He is a very gifted songwriter and surrounds himself with a group of talented musicians featuring including former Son Volt keyboardist Derry deBorja. I had a chance to catch a few songs in January when he toured the country with Ryan Adams and have been looking forward to my next visit with Jason Isbell ever since.

WAKA MAIN STAGE

5. Blitzen Trapper / Fri 8:00pm – 9:30pm
Critically acclaimed experimental alt-country act out of the Pac Northwest, Blitzen Trapper has been around for more than ten years, and their last three albums have all been highly praised. I never gave them a chance until recently, when I was instantly hooked in by 2008’s Furr. We have a few Concert Confessions Minions that are big, big fans of Blitzen Trapper, like our founding father Rev, and hopefully following their Friday night performance at Waka I will be as well. I will have to miss Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros, but this is a risk I am willing to take for my first experience with the Portland quintet.

4. The Travelin’ McCourys feat. Keller Williams / Sat 6:00pm – 7:30pm
Not a lot that needs to be said about this one. The legendary Keller Williams teams up with Ronnie and Robbie McCoury, who just so happened to be sons of the legendary Del McCoury, for 90 minutes of pure pleasure. The Travelin McCourys are actually the backing band for father Del, which you already know if you read our #8 Must-See Waka act, and this set leads in to Del McCoury… so there could be some treats in store for sure. Keller and the McCourys are releasing their debut collaborative effort next month called Pick, so expect tunes from that album as well who knows what else. I am keeping my fingers crossed for their rendition of Jessie J’s “Price Tag.” Keep an eye on fiddle player Jason Carter, that dude can wail. (Click Here For Bonus Video)

3. The Avett Brothers / Fri 10:15pm – 12:15am
Is it punkgrass or folk rock or indie bluegrass?? Classify them how you wish, but Seth and Scott Avett will have 2 full hours to get the crowd into a frenzy on Friday night. The sounds that these two brothers produce along with Bob Crawford on the bass and Joe Kwon on the cello are just what the doctor ordered for the pre late night warm up for a Friday night. Whether its machine gun fast songs featuring banjo and electric bass with a kick drum and accordion, or down tempo heart-felt tunes with just guitar and cello, the Avett Brothers know how to do it. These guys will have their own festival one day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wlpLPdcK8N4

2. Weir, Robinson, & Greene Acoustic Trio / Thurs 8:30pm – 10:00pm
Holy guitarist overload Batman! Bob Weir, who you may have heard of from his prior stints with Furthur, RatDog and the relatively unknown The Grateful Dead, teams up with Chris Robinson from The Black Crowes and Jackie Greene who is doing his best to seal his legacy among the top jam guitarists in the game for 90 minutes of balls to the walls acoustic guitar. This set promises to be a great time as Thursdays Main Stage headliner. Can’t think of a more appropriate way to kick off Wakarusa than a guitar trio followed by P-Groove and the option of a Dirtfoot or Split Lip Rayfield late night.

1. Gary Clark Jr. / Sat 4:45pm – 6:00pm
Twenty-Eight year old Gary Clark Jr. has been called by some the savior of the blues. That seems like an awfully big statement and weight to place on one mans shoulders, but Clark does his best to carry the load. Straight out of Austin, Texas, he shreds the guitar with blues rock, but there is definitely some soul and R&B influence. He started out on the stage that launched Stevie Ray Vaughn, he has shared the stage with the likes of Eric Clapton and Sheryl Crowe at the 2010 Crossroads Festival, not to mention playing at the White House with B.B. King, Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck, and Buddy Guy at Red, White and Blues. This dude can play a guitar, that is no lie… and I will be spending an hour and 15 minutes with him this Saturday night!

Long before the wheel was invented and fire was discovered, Seattle has hosted a massive labor day weekend music festival known as Bumbershoot. The lineup for the 2012 edition has just been announced and it is nothing short of fantastic.

Wakarusa 2012 is only a few weeks away and Full Event Passes are moving quickly! Get your Full Event Passes today before the final price increase to Gate Price occurs on Saturday, May 19th at 11:59PM! Save yourself some $$ to buy that extra Boulavard beverage or two… I suggest the Single Wide IPA

4/26 UPDATED: As we are just about a month way from Wakarusa, the bittersweet day of SCHEDULE RELEASE has come. Jubilation for some who can now confirm that arriving Friday won’t force you to miss Umphrey’s McGee’s late night or Primus and the Avett Brothers. Yet it brings disappointment for others, who now have to wonder do I REALLY want to miss Perpetual Groove to see Pretty Lights? What about Dirtfoot in the small tent or Split Lip Rayfield on the ever so cool Backwoods Stage? DOH! Lucky for you, the stages are all close enough in proximity that you are able to split sets and catch a little bit of both acts, if that is what you have to do.

Some highlights and challenges for me will include:

Weir, Robinson, & Greene Acoustic Trio Thursday on Main Stage followed by Perpetual Groove in the Revival Tent is a must…. but then you have the choice of Split Lip Rayfield, Dirtfoot or Tea Leaf Green late nights!!

Friday brings Blitzen Trapper, followed by some of Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, then off to The Avett Brothers and finish it off the Umphrey’s McGee‘s late night set in the Revival Tent, one of the only DO NOT MISS sets of the festival.

Saturday will offer a great chance to relax throughout the day with Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit and The Lumineers, but that interferes with one of my other DO NOT MISS sets, Gary Clark Jr. Good thing you can get from one stage to any other in less than 15 minutes, even faster if you catch a FestiCab! Saturday also features the 12 hour bluegrass takeover of the Kum & Go Outpost stage with Head for the Hills, Mountain Sprout, Hot Buttered Rum, Emmitt-Nershi Band, Travelin’ McCourys feat. Keller Williams, Del McCoury Band, and the Infamous Stringdusters all playing back to back… and you can certainly expect a few sit-ins that day! Hell, it may even just turn into a bluegrass ball! If banjo isn’t your thing, Umphrey’s McGee will play their Main Stage set prior to the great Primus taking the mountain by storm.

Sunday Funday usually involves lots of rum, drank by way of pineapple, and lots of lounging. Luckily the lineup helps with this area and we are given a reggae stacked Main Stage including Ugly Lion,Toubab Krewe, SOJA, Slightly Stoopid, and Matisyahu. Sunday also features second sets from Emmitt-Nershi, Infamous Stringdusters, Dumptruck Butterlips, Mountain Sprout, and a Keller Williams solo set.

Start making your schedules now, and dispute with your friends in the weeks to come. But you’re on the clock in just 34 days when it all kicks off with War Chief on the Backwoods Stage.

Only 2 / 3 of the Wakarusa Festival lineup has been released so far, and you should make it a priority to snag your tickets and premium camping passes now because they won’t last!

This year the Waka gods have decided to release the lineup in “3 equally weighted parts.” The first announcement was made last week and featured eletronic producer Pretty Lights, a once in a lifetime chance to see the Bob Weir, Chris Robinson, and Jackie Greene Acoustic Trio, Railroad Earth, Keller Williams, Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros, and ALO as well as many more great acts.

Lineup 2 was just released moments ago and its easy to see that Waka is bringing the heat for their 4th trip to Mulberry Mountain located just outside of Ozark, Arkansas. The additions of Les Claypool and the boys in Primus, Umphreys McGee, Blitzen Trapper, Del McCoury, Tea Leaf Green, Gary Clark Jr, the grumble boogie boys Dirtfoot, and Quixotic have certainly elevated the interest for many people on the fence after seeing the first 1/3 of the lineup.

UPDATED: The final third of the lineup has now been released and the fine folks at Wakarusa aren’t messing around for the 9th installment of the festival. Todays announcement included the additions of The Avett Brothers, hebrew hip hopster Matisyahu, Ghostland Observatory, EOTO, as well as multiple sets from the likes of Slightly Stoopid, Perpetual Groove, Split Lip Rayfield, the Travelin McCourys (including 1 set feat. Keller Williams), and the March Fourth Marching Band, a band that is pretty much a festival in their own right and a MUST SEE.

We get a ton of email daily from Canadian citizens crying over the lack of festivals in their nation. Okay that is a giant lie I don’t think anyone from Canada has ever seen the site. That is also a lie. Regardless, another hour has passed and we have another festival to share with you. This one is in Ottawa which is in Canada and it lasts twelve days. It used to be called the Ottawa Bluesfest, but they decided to change the name to RBC Royal Bank Bluesfest. Now I will shut up and tell you who the hell is playing but only after I link you to the official site here so you can buy tickets and stuff. Oh and shockingly enough, Girl Talk is nowhere to be found on this lineup.

Wilco is going on tour this summer. They are going to play with some great support acts like Blitzen Trapper, Lee Ranaldo and Dr. Dog. They will probably yell at you if you bring a camera, cause Jeff Tweedy hates that shit. This is why our founder Reverend Justito does go and see Wilco live. That and the fact he is still bummed about the whole Jay Bennett thing. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go and check them out. Below you will find all the U.S. Tour Dates for the band as of April 10th, 2012.

Sasquatchis one of Washington’s most widely regarded music festivals. Held annually at the beautiful Gorge Amphitheater, Sasquatch is known for hosting big name acts like Jane’s Addiction, Kings of Leon, Bjork, and Flaming Lips. Well this year, they’ve got a treat for you.

BEST OF THE BEST: Well it appears that Jack White will be making his solo US debut here at Sasquatch a month after the release of his debut solo album. That is certainly something to watch for.

With Beck, you should always expect the unexpected, so whatever he does will most likely be some sort of garage-punk/funky-pop weirdness explosion.

The self-described “greatest band in the world” Tenacious D will be returning to the stage after five long years, to coincide with the release of their new album.

Girl Talk is a mashup artist that can combine everything from War Pigs, to Teach Me How to Dougie, to 99 Problems, all without being sued.

Portlandia, a show led by Wild Flag’s Carrie Brownstein (who will also play the festival with that group) and SNL’s Fred Armisen. It’s an amazingly funny and amazingly bizarre sketch comedy show that sold out crowds across the US when they brought it to the stage. Definitely something to see if you watch the show.

If you’re looking to relax after a long day’s festival, Explosions in the Sky should help (not Bon Iver). This post-rock emotional explosion of instrumental beauty is like a symphony of guitars that will put you to sleep in the best sense of the word.

Childish Gambino, or as Community fans know him Donald Glover, is a brilliant lyricist and deliverer of rap music. He’s also wicked funny. So whether he does something comedic or something serious, it should be brilliant.

Blitzen Trapper are Americana-folk at its best. With Sub Pop signing more folk bands like Fleet Foxes, Blitzen Trapper hopped on the first train out of Portland to play magnificent folksy music. It’ll be like a portal to another world, a world where all you should care about is not getting anyone’s vomit on your shoes.

With their 2011 effort American Goldwingstill fresh in our memories, Portland Oregon based Blitzen Trapper are about to head back out on the road for a quick west coast tour. The small club tour begins with a stop in Humboldt County on March 3rd and wraps 18 days later in the great state of Utah. Check out our review of Blitzen Trapper’s gig at the Music Box in Hollywood last fall and feel free to check out the just released music video for the song “Taking It Easy Too Long” right here.

One of our favorite albums in 2011 was American GoldwingBy Blitzen Trapper. Last night, band paid a visit to The Late Show with David Letterman where they performed the song “Might Find It Cheap.” You can watch the performance below. In the event you are in Hoboken, New Jersey tonight (12/09/11), make sure you check the band out at Maxwell’s.

While Blitzen Trapper currently have no tour dates planned for 2012 at this time, there is no doubt these hard working Oregon natives will be coming to a town near you before the Mayan Calendar expires. To hold you over till they make it your way, check out our review of their recent show in Hollywood, CA.

On the wild ride that is life as an amateur rock journalist, Blitzen Trapper has served as my training wheels for much of the journey. A long time ago (a little over three years to be exact) a major network in the Viacom family sent me to Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, CA to shoot the band. While I had taken plenty of photos at shows, I had never been sent on someone else’s dime to shoot and cover a specific artist. I was not only excited to be working as a journalist, but my love for the six piece Portland Oregon based band began on that warm summer day. Then a few months ago, the fine folks at Antiquiet allowed me to review the groups outstanding 2011 release American Goldwing. My first published album review, once again Blitzen Trapper allowed me to experience growth in this crazy day and age where a kid with nothing more than a California public school education and a dream can become Almost Famous on the World Wide Web. So walking into the Music Box at Fonda on Thursday night I assumed I would simply enjoy the show as I do most shows – safely tucked away in the crowd doing our trademark By Fans for Fans below the radar approach on concert coverage. I assumed wrong.

Shortly after walking through the doors of the Hollywood Blvd venue, a Coachella 2011 media pass was slapped upon my wrist and a fancy Canon SLR camera was handed over to me. While I have had multiple experiences in photo pits over the years, this was only the second time I have shot with a “real” camera. After a brief lesson on how to use such a fine photography capturing device I was six inches away from Blitzen Trapper as they opened their 90 minute set with “Sleepy Time in the Western World.” While I imagine my three songs worth of photos will leave a lot to be desired it was great practice as I look to grow in the field of concert reporting.

By the time I was done shooting, the venue was packed to the very back of the balcony. I found a spot on the stage right side for the remaining 75 minutes of Blitzen Trapper’s final co-headline show of 2011 with Dawes. The group did a fine job of mixing songs from American Goldwing with material from their back catalogue. Early on, the group eased into the night with familiar material including the earlier mentioned “Sleepy Time in the Western World” and “Furr.” As I felt when I first heard American Goldwing, the new songs are designed to rock the masses. “Fletcher,” “Love the Way You Walk Away” and “My Own Town” felt larger than the venue the band was performing in.

In a day and age where bands are often disposed of if they don’t hit it big out of the gate, Blitzen Trapper have been allowed the luxury to grow slowly into a fine tuned machine. From the story telling lyrics of “Black River Killer” to the balls to the wall rock and roll onslaught that is “Street Fighting Sun” the six piece group manages to blend so many elements into a unique yet familair sound. On this particular Thursday night we witnessed softer moments where you could hear a pin drop within the crowd, we witnessed soaring guitar solos and pump organ fueled improvisational jams within a collection of songs that make you feel damn proud to be an American. While I don’t know what fantastic journalistic endeavor Blitzen Trapper and I will embark on next, I know I most definitely look forward to it.

A little over two years ago, a network that was once known for playing music videos sent me out to a day long music festival at Universal Studios Hollywood. They had one mission for me – take as many photos of an up and coming band based out of Portland Oregon. That band was Blitzen Trapper. My initial reaction to the group was Bob Dylan backed by Modest Mouse covering Wilco.

A year later, now working on my own for this fine website, I managed to catch the band live at the Hollywood Bowl. While it was fun to take 359,327 photos of the band on the small side stage of the disaster that was the Download Festival the year before, watching the band win over the crowd at the Bowl was a much bigger thrill. So much so that I picked up the band’s record Furr a few weeks later in their hometown.

Today, I would like to share Blitzen Trapper with you. In support of their recently released record Destroyer of the Void, the fine folks at NPR are streaming the bands set at the 2010 Newport Music Festival. You can listen to it for free by clicking here.

There are a million things I could write about the KCRW World Music Festival at the Hollywood Bowl (featuring Blitzen Trapper/Jenny Lewis & headliner Ray LaMontagne w/ The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra). I could write all about how it will be the last show I be able to walk to at the historic venue (as we are about to move across town from Hollywood closer to the great Pacific Ocean). I could be a pig, and discuss at length the hordes of beautiful women in loose fitting sun dresses and opened toed shoes. It would be easy for me to go into length yet again about how the Hollywood Bowl is more about being scene (and heard) than hearing the bands you paid to see. But not today, that’s not how we are going to roll. Honestly, there is only one thing you need to know.

Now, I know I should tell you about the night’s first act – the perennial next big thing known as Blitzen Trapper. In support of their new record Furr they came and played a 30 minute set of songs that sound like Bob Dylan backed by Modest Mouse covering Wilco. This was my second time seeing this Portland Oregon buzz band, but first time actually seeing them perform in front of people. However, that’s not what I want to tell you, nor do I want to tell you about how they miss-pronounced the last name of the headliner.

Clearly, you want to hear about the headliner. The shy crooner from Maine named Ray who made 98% of the panties in the crowd moist on a hot summer night. With minimum stage lighting (thus no photos), LaMontagne performed a solid mix of songs from all three of his albums. His voice sent shivers up the spines of many. I thought it was rather solid, but I am no more/no less a fan of his than I was two months ago when I loaded his music (legally purchased on compact disc by my wife) onto my Ipod. So yeah, Ray was good, I have seen worse, I have seen better, but that’s not what I want to tell you about.

Nope, I want to talk to you about everyones favorite child actress turned hipster songstress not named Deschanel. That’s right, I want to talk to you about Jenny Lewis. You know, the cute gal with not-so-cute bangs with the daytime gig (LA based band Rilo Kiley) who write songs for fast food commercials where barely dressed Hills stars munch down on a burger that contains at least more calories than brain cells inside the head that’s eating it. Before the show, I had heard a few ditties by Miss Lewis (also legally purchased by my wife, who as luck has it also purchased my ticket), and kinda felt ho-hum on them. Truthfully, I was looking forward to her set so I could rip it to shreds here.

For 50 minutes, the girl from over the hill in Van Nuys owned the stage. There were only 1-2 songs I didn’t instantly connect with. The music went up and down, peaks and valleys and the highlight perhaps of the entire bowl season was a song called “Acid Tongue”. With the musicians who make up her backup band standing behind her and serving as a choir, Lewis somehow managed to silent the entire crowd. You could hear a pin drop inside the bowl as the near capacity crowd put down their plastic cups of wine and basket dinners and just listened. It was so amazing, it made my back hair stand. That is what I wanted to tell you about my final trip to the Bowl as a resident of the 90046.